The Avalanche’s best organizational goaltender might be American Hockey League all-star Pavel Francouz.

Francouz, however, suffered a lower-body injury last month and wasn’t able to play in last week’s AHL all-star game, and he’s not traveling with the Colorado Eagles for their two-game series at the Tucson Roadrunners this weekend.

But when he does return to the lineup, perhaps it should be with the Avalanche, because the big club hasn’t gotten enough from its high-priced duo of Semyon Varlamov and Philipp Grubauer.

Varlamov is the final year of his five-year, $29.5 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $5.9 million. Grubauer is in the first year of a three-year, $10 million deal after being acquired from Washington last summer.

Varlamov’s contract and injury history make him virtually impossible to trade, and the Avs aren’t likely to lose faith and attempt to trade Grubauer when his stock is so low. So acquiring another goalie before the Feb. 25 trade deadline isn’t likely.

Among goalies to have played 20 games, neither Varlamov or Grubauer are ranked among the top-20 in save percentage or goals-against average. Varlamov is 22nd in GAA (2.82) and 25th in SP (9.08). Grubauer is 39th (3.38) and 40th (.891).

The Avs have a respectable shots-against average of 30.9, which is tied for the 16th-lowest in the 31-team league, but their goals-against average is 3.22, tied for the 10th-highest. That tells me the team GAA problem stems more from the goaltending than team defense.

Colorado has scored 169 goals, seventh-most in the NHL, but has allowed 161 goals, which ranks 21st (tied).

“It’s got to improve,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of his team’s GAA. “We were at a point in the season where we were 17-7-5 and our goals-against was really good. We were getting great goaltending. Our commitment was really strong. We were winning — giving ourselves a chance to win on a nightly basis.”

Francouz, 28, is in his first year in North America, having previously played professionally in his native Czech Republic and the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League. He has become the No. 1 guy for the Eagles, playing ahead of 2013 Avalanche draft pick Spencer Martin, whom the Avs have little faith in. Francouz ranks ninth in the AHL in save percentage (.915) and 30th in GAA (2.84) — numbers that wouldn’t normally beg an NHL call-up.

But Francouz has the best numbers of any Avalanche goalie. He played two games for the Avs in December, producing a 1.96 GAA and .946 SP. That sample size is too small to suggest he can maintain those numbers, but he has nevertheless been impressive and deserves another shot.

But that opportunity probably won’t surface if Varlamov and Grubauer remain healthy. The Avs have too much money and hope in those two, believing one of them will get hot and win more tight games than they lose.

One thing is for certain: Colorado will attempt to re-sign Francouz, a pending unrestricted free agent, and give him more NHL opportunity next season when Varlamov is playing elsewhere.

For now, Bednar needs to see his goaltenders and his entire defensive scheme play better.

“We have to have guys elevate their game from a checking standpoint, get a little bit hard to play against,” the coach said. “The whole league gets harder to play against, so we’re going to have to really improve in that area. It’s the focus of our team and that’s what we’re going to hold guys accountable for it.”

Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic held a season-ending news conference Tuesday, less than a week after his team lost Game 7 of a Western Conference semifinal playoff series to the San Jose Sharks. Sakic touched on numerous important topics -- none more important than re-signing star right winger Mikko Rantanen.